ft 


Alfred  Williams  Anthbny 


Kinds  and  Kindliness 
of 
oo-operation. 


0y,  OF  rmlT^ 


BR    517    .Ad    iyi5 

Anthony,  Alfred  Williams, 

1860-1939. 
Kinds  and  kindliness  of  co 

operation 


•3"i  -soya  aw  jiAvo 

Aq  psjn^ooj  iuo,v 


INnowolOHd 


Kinds  and  Kindliness 


OF 


CO-OPERATION 


Interdenominational  Problems 


By 
ALFRED  WILLIAMS   ANTHONY 


Chairman    of    the    Commission    on    State    and    Local 

Federations  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the 

Churches  of  Christ  in  America, 

Secretary   of  the  Interdenominational 
Commission  of  Maine. 


THIRD    REPEINT 


Lewiston,    Maine 

1915 


JUST     BY     WAY     OF     PREFACE 


The  following  pages  were  prepared  as  the  basis  of 
an  address  to  be  given  at  the  Eighth  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  the  Home  Missions  Council,  which  was  held 
in  New  York  City,  January  12,  13  and  14,  1915,  and 
are   printed  in   the   Eeport   of   that   Council. 

The  subject-matter  has  been  presented  by  me  in 
varying  forms,  both  oral  and  printed,  on  platforms 
from  Maine  to  Oregon,  and  in  pamphlets  of  the 
Interdenominational  Commission  of  Maine  and  of 
the  Federal  Council  of  Churches.  My  sufficient 
apology  for  repetition  is  what  seems  to  me  the 
necessity  of  giving  ''precept  upon  precept;  line  upon 
line,  line  upon  line;  here  a  little,  and  there  a  little", 
until  in  some  form  these  fundamental  definitions  and 
underlying  principles  of  cooperation  become  common 
property.  I  alone  am  responsible  for  the  printing 
of  these  statements  in  the  present  form. 

It  is  a  useful  service  to  promote  an  understanding 
of  terms  and  of  the  fields  of  action;  it  is  a  greater 
to  put  into  practice  the  principles  of  Christian 
comity  and  cooperation.  They  who  do  the  latter, 
with  kindliness  and  grace,  become  incarnations  of 
the  spirit  of  Christ. 

ALFEED    WILLIAMS    ANTHONY. 

Lewiston,   Maine. 

Copies  for  distribution  may  be  had  gratuitously. 


INTERDENOMINATIONAL    PROBLEMS 

Federations  Function  in  Four  Different  Spheres. 

First. — In  the  national  sphere,  wherein  the  units 
are  national,  denominational  organizations,  the 
functioning  is  strictly  interdenominational,  national, 
and  of  world  reach.  Creeds  are  undisturbed,  in- 
dividual convictions  unaffected,  and  the  relationship 
and  activities  of  the  local  church  influenced  remotely 
and  indirectly,  if  at   all. 

Second. — In  State  Federations,  wherein  the  con- 
stituent units  are  fragments  of  denominations, 
organized  as  state  bodies  under  the  denominational 
name,  the  functioning  naturally  is  co-ordinated  with 
the  functioning  of  the  state  denominational  bodies 
themselves,  and  these  are  largely  home  missionary  in 
character.  The  state  denominational  bodies  organ- 
ize churches,  receive  churches  into  fellowship,  aid 
weak  churches,  and  conduct  campaigns  of  education 
and  inspiration  common  to  the  entire  membership  of 
churches;  while  they  occasionally  represent  the 
entire  membership  of  their  churches  in  appeals  to 
outside  or  unecclesiastical  bodies,  as  for  example  the 
Legislature,  in  seeking  permissive  acts  or  statutes 
for  common  welfare.  The  state  federation  there- 
fore, finds  its  natural  sphere  of  activity  in  the 
domain  of  comity,  that  is,  in  establishing  right 
relations  between  state  denominational  bodies  as 
they  conduct  their  home  mission  enterprises.  Since, 
however,  nearly  all  denominations  carry  on  their 
home  mission  work,  not  only  through  the  state 
organizations,  but  with  larger  resources  and  farther 
reaching  plans,  through  a  national  society  or  a 
national  board,  the  full  expression  of  a  state  federa- 
tion calls  for  the  coincident  co-operation  of  both 
the  state  denominational  body  and  the  national 
society  or  board  of  home  missions.  In  this  latter 
direction  state  federations  have  as  yet  scarcely 
moved.     In  Colorado  the  only  federation  is  a  Council 


of  the  officers  representing  the  state  bodies  and  also 
closely  in  touch  with  the  national  bodies.  In  Utah 
in  Februar}',  1914,  a  plan  was  outlined  putting  for  the 
first  time  a  state  federation  fully  in  touch  with  both 
the  state  and  the  national  home  mission  bodies  of 
the  different  denominations.  Whether,  however,  the 
state  federation  reaches  to  the  national  home 
mission  bodies,  or  not,  the  subjects  of  its  considera- 
tion and  service  are  chiefly  of  the  following  forms: 
Shall  one  church  withdraw  for  the  sake  of  another? 
Shall  two  or  more  churches  in  the  same  community 
combine?  Shall  denominational  agents  confer  in 
order  that  they  may  not  conflict  in  carrying  out 
their  plans?  Shall  the  separate  denominations 
assume  peculiar  responsibility  for  special  classes  or 
specific  communities?  Shall  courtesy  and  considera- 
tion prevail  between  denominations  and  their  agents 
such  as  should  obtain  between  Christian  gentlemen? 
Shall  combination  and  co-operation  take  the  place  of 
competition  and  strife? 

Third. — In  cities  and  large  villages  the  function 
of  a  federation  is  partly  ecclesiastical  and  partly 
sociological,  ecclesiastical  when  it  arranges  parish 
boundaries,  censuses  and  surveys,  when  it  conducts 
union  campaigns  of  evangelism  and  of  reform,  when 
it  establishes  institutes  of  instruction,  either  for 
teacher  training  or  for  vacation  Bible  Schools,  when 
it  plans  for  united  or  accordant  movements  into  the 
slums,  or  into  the  suburbs;  it  is  sociological  when  it 
undertakes  to  bring  a  united  Christian  and  church 
conscience  to  bear  upon  the  problems  of  poverty, 
crime,  the  social  evil,  education,  law  and  order,  tene- 
ment housing,  the  wage  earner  and  his  welfare. 
All  of  these  objects  have  entered  into  the  program 
of  city  federations.  These  entail  a  sphere  of  activ- 
ity and  of  functioning  distinct  from  that  of  the 
federation  in  the  national  or  state  sense  of  the  term. 

Fourth. — In  the  local  community,  the  small  vil- 
lage, the  hamlet,  or  the  rural  community  as  such, 
the  function  of  federation  is  to  deal  more  largely 
with  the  individual,  at  least  with  the  individual  in 
the  small  groups  of  the  small  church  and  the  small 
neighborhood.     Here  the  main  problem  is,  how  may 


men  and  women,  under  the  influence  of  inherited 
customs  and  traditions,  with  the  bias  of  long  con- 
tinued practice  and  habits,  and  with  the  narrow 
vision  of  those  whose  experience  is  monotonous  and 
observation  scant,  how  can  such  people,  preserving 
their  individuality,  combine  in  common  worship  and 
common  service? 

In  this  last  sphere  is  the  function  of  federation 
most  important.  Unless  wasteful  strife,  bigoted 
pigheadedness,  and  the  bitter  dogmatic  denuncia- 
tion, which  sadly  characterized  some  small  communi- 
ties a  few  years  ago,  can  terminate,  much  of  the  talk 
respecting  federation  is  vapid  and  meaningless. 
The  real  test  of  the  substance  of  our  dreams  is  the 
practical  application  of  the  principle  in  the  small 
community.     Is   the  practical   application  possible? 

The.  answer  is,  Yes. 

In  the  first  place  churches  and  Christians  in  local 
communities  have  actually  combined.  They  have 
combined  in  one  of  these  four  different  forms  of 
church:  (1)  The  Denominational  Church.  In  many 
cases  members  of  different  denominations  have  will- 
ingly enrolled  themselves  under  the  standard  of  an- 
other denomination  for  the  sake  of  uniting  all 
Christians  in  a  given  community  for  common  tasks 
and  common  worship.  The  denominational  church 
thus  established  by  the  surrender  of  some  for  the 
sake  of  all  has  been  proven  the  best  type  of  feder- 
ated church.  The  federation  of  Christians  in  their 
own  hearts  has  no  superior.  In  some  states,  notably 
Maine,  a  plan  of  reciprocity,  first  proposed  about 
ten  years  ago,  has  made  this  surrender  and  this^ 
merging  of  interests  easier  because  an  effort  has: 
been  made  to  give  to  the  denomination  surrendering 
a  church  or  a  name  in  one  community,  an  equal  or 
similar  advantage  in  another  community;  and  have 
the  denomination  which  gains  in  one  place  yield  in 
another.  This  "give  and  take,"  this  reciprocal 
exchange,  establishes  a  sense  of  fair  play,  of  equity 
and  justice  which  makes  the  task  easier  for  all  con- 
cerned. Those  who  surrender  do  so  the  more  readily 
when  they  realize  that  by  their  sacrifice  members  of 
their    own    order    gain    in    some    other    community. 


Denominational  leaders  and  agents  more  readily 
yield  advantage  at  one  spot  since  they  acquire  ad- 
vantage at  another;  and  denominational  statistics, 
the  bete  noire  and  bugbear  of  spiritual  reform,  re- 
ceive compensations  in  gains  to  offset  losses. 

(2)  The  Multi-Denominational  Church,  or  the 
Federated  Church,  has  been  tested  in  many  com- 
munities all  across  the  continent,  notably  in  Massa- 
chusetts. This  is  a  union  of  two  or  more  ecclesi- 
astical organizations  under  one  pastor,  usually  in  one 
meeting  house,  as  one  congregation,  with  common 
local  functions  but  with  separate  denominational 
associations  and  allegiances.  This  form  of  federa- 
tion withdraws  nothing  from  denominational  rosters, 
loses  none  of  the  advantages  of  denominational 
organization,  oversight,  and  missionary  enterprises; 
yet  consolidates  the  Christians  of  the  community  for 
all   local    church    purposes. 

(3)  The  Interdenominational  Church,  or  the 
Church  of  Federated  Christians,  exists  in  some 
places  where  the  conditions  of  residence  or  the 
sentiments  of  the  people  prevent  either  the  Denomi- 
national Church  or  the  Multi-Denominational 
Church.  In  the  Inter-Denominational  Church  in- 
dividuals, without  severing  membership  in  churches 
elsewhere,  combine  for  local  church  purposes.  It 
may  be  that  they  are  residing  for  but  a  short  period 
within  the  community.  It  may  be  that  there  are 
but  a  few  of  each  faith  and  creed,  too  few  for  a 
local  organization,  and  yet  too  tenacious  of  convic- 
tions and  customs  for  compromise  and  surrender,  or 
possibly  too  far  apart  to  find,  at  the  outset  at  least, 
common  meeting  ground.  This  form  of  church,  how- 
ever, lacks  denominational  leadership  and  affiliation 
with  the  outside  organized  forms  of  Christianity. 

(4)  The  ''Union  Church"  in  our  present  cate- 
gory may  properly  be  classified  as  the  Un-Denomi- 
uational  Church.  This  is  purely  a  local  church, 
sustaining  no  denominational  connection.  Such  a 
church  as  this  has  been  tried  in  many  communities 
for  a  long  term  of  years;  and  in  almost  every  in- 
stance has  been  found  unsatisfactory.  Nine  serious 
charges   can   be   brought    against    it:      (a)   It   lacks 


associational  fellowship;  (b)  it  lacks  outside  super- 
vision; (c)  it  lacks  an  adequate  source  of  ministerial 
supply;  (d)  it  has  no  approved  literature,  and  helps 
create  none;  (e)  it  has  no  connection  with  religious 
education  in  a  responsible  way,  by  helping  to  sup- 
port academies,  colleges,  theological  schools,  and 
seminaries;  (f)  it  carries  on  no  Home  Mission  work 
for  the  Immigrants,  the  Indian,  the  Negroes,  or  for 
the  pioneer  and  needy  settlements  of  the  country; 
(g)  it  has  no  wide  vision  of  world  tasks  and  the 
extension  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  amongst  all 
nations;  (h)  ordinarily  it  lacks  an  adequate  system 
of  truth;  many  denominational  churches  may  fail  to 
receive  instruction  of  any  large  and  comprehensive 
character,  but  the  Union  Church  necessarily  fails  of 
it;  and  (i)  in  experience  the  Union  Church  has 
proven  to  be,  unfortunately  too  many  times,  a 
church  of  discord  and  dissention.  These  are  serious 
charges,  and  so  nearly  true  are  they  that  well- 
wishers  of  a  community  no  longer  advise  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Union  Church;  but  seek  rather  the 
formation  of  one  of  the  previously  described  types 
of  churches,  preferably  the  Denominational,  if  not 
that  then  the  Multi-Denominational  or  Federated- 
Church,  and  if  not  that  then  the  Inter-Denomina- 
tional Church,  rather  than  the  Union  Church;  but 
the  Union  Church  is  better  than  no  form  of  local 
federation    whatever. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  denominational 
leaders,  from  the  highest  national  councils  down  to 
the  lowest  local  stewardship,  should  recognize  the 
fact  that  federation  does  not  involve  the  disregard 
of  denominational  standards  and  denominational 
organizations.  On  the  contrary,  federation  from  top 
to  bottom  honors  denominationalism,  advocates  the 
maintenance  of  denominational  organizations,  and 
fidelity  to  denominational  standards.  Denomina- 
tionalism within  the  scope  of  federation  is  just  as 
possible  as  is  the  right  of  private  judgment  within 
the  membership  of  a  single  church.  Federation 
rests  upon  as  sound  a  religious  philosophy  as  does 
Protestantism.  Only  a  papist  insistence  upon  inflex- 
ible conformity  and  unvarying  iteration  precludes 
the  federation  of  Christians  and  the  federation  of 
Christian    churches.     Denominational    leaders    must 


recognize  the  fact  that  federation  in  its  logical  out- 
come and  in  its  practical  application,  while  calling 
for  concession,  surrender,  and  even  sacrifice,  yet 
entails  at  the  same  time  fair  play,  advantageous 
gains,  and  favorable  opportunities.  It  has  in  it  the 
principles  of  justice  which  underly  all  genuine  ex- 
pressions of  courtesy  and  comity. 

So  far  as  the  individual  Christian  is  concerned 
federation  does  him  no  injustice,  even  when  by  its 
application  he  severs  connection  with  the  denomina- 
tion of  his  choice,  and  becomes  connected  with  a 
denomination  which  would  not  be  his  primary  pref- 
erence. For  all  churches  exercise  in  reality  common 
social  functions.  These  common  social  functions 
are:  (1)  the  church  is  a  social  center  of  acquaint- 
ance and  friendship,  where  the  human  touch  pre- 
vails; (2)  the  church  is  a  great  educational  institu- 
tion in  which  the  proclamation  of  truth,  the  explana- 
tion of  principles  of  life,  and  the  inculcation  of 
personal  duties  are  constant  themes;  (3)  the  church 
is  a  place  of  worship,  where  the  deepest  and  most 
profound  emotions  are  stirred  in  the  sense  of  awe, 
and  in  expressions  of  adoration  and  praise;  and  (4) 
the  church  is  the  means  of  ministry  and  service  in 
the  community,  the  place  where  Christians  combine 
in  united  good-will  and  good  deeds.  These  several 
functions  are  the  common  functions  of  all  churches, 
of  whatever  denomination. 

Why  then  should  men  stand  apart?  Must  they 
because  of  reasons  unchanging  and  irreconcilable? 
The  causes  which  keep  men  apart  in  different  com- 
munions appear  fundamental  in  character;  but  are 
not  so  far-reaching  as  at  first  appears.  They  are: 
(1)  difference  in  temperament;  and  by  temperament 
is  meant  those  qualities  of  mind  and  heart  with 
which  men  are  born;  but  these  undergo  changes  in 
process  of  time;  (2)  differences  in  tastes;  and  by 
tastes  one  means,  of  course,  the  results  of  cultiva- 
tion, education,  and  habits;  all  of  these,  inasmuch  as 
they  have  grown,  are  capable  of  alteration;  (3) 
dift'erences  in  opinions,  shading  off  into  convictions, 
doctrines,  and  creeds;  all  of  these  at  bottom,  and  at 
best,  are  but  opinions,  interpretations  of  Scripture 
and  of  revelation  in  all  of  its  forms;  and  these,  too, 
if   vital,   are   subject   to   change;    and    (4)    personal 

9 


pride,  for  at  root  that  tenacity,  with  which  people 
hold  to  their  sect,  to  their  traditions,  to  their  places 
and  their  positions,  is  but  that  self-complacency  and 
self-assurance  which  is  j^roperly  called  pride. 

These  four  distinctions  do  keep  Christians  apart, 
but  they  are  not  final  nor  fatal.  Men  can  worship 
together  and  work  together  and  be  members  of  one 
organization,  even  though  they  have  different  tem- 
peraments, have  cultivated  different  tastes,  and 
entertain  widely  differing  opinions.  Will  they  fore- 
go their  pride?  Within  a  single  denomination,  in- 
deed within  a  single  church,  there  may  be  as  great 
differences  of  opinion  as  exist  between  the  central 
convictions  of  denominations  themselves.  Each 
denomination  has  its  right  wing,  and  its  left  wing; 
its  liberals  and  its  conservatists.  We  do  not  need 
to  be  alike  in  order  to  be  in  one  organization.  A 
federation  calls  for  scarcely  larger  charity  than  a 
single  church  may  demand.  And  this  is  true  of 
federations  as  of  churches — fraternity,  intimacy  of 
contact,  co-operation  in  service,  produce  confidence, 
kindness,  and  a  kind  of  conformity;  for  the  law  of 
assimilation  operates;  and  unlikes  approximate  each 
other  in  the  domain  of  friendly  tolerance. 

In  promoting  federations  of  any  kind  or  descrip- 
tion several  kindly  cautions  must  not  be  overlooked: 

1.  Good  feeling,  above  all  else,  must  be  preserved. 
How  can  the  spirit  of  justice,  and  of  courtesy,  and 
kindness  prevail,  if  irritation  has  been  produced, 
animosity  aroused,  and  ill  will  engendered.  An 
ideal  thing  or  condition  must  not  be  urgently  in- 
sisted upon,  if  the  insistanee  becomes  offensive  to 
any.  No  good  thing  is  worth  while  if  obtained  by  a 
domineering  personality,  who  disregards  either  the 
rights  or  the  feeling  of  others.  Dismiss  your  Pope 
and  the  Northeast  wind,  if  you  are  seeking  to  pro- 
mote a  federation;  and  introduce  your  Christian 
gentleman  and  the  sunshine  of  the  balmy  isles! 

2.  It  is  never  wise  to  look  for  the  full  fruit  first. 
The  federation  should  begin  at  the  beginning;  and 
the  beginning  of  each  federation  is  close  to  the 
actual  conditions  just  as  they  are.  A  conference,  an 
occasional    gathering,    a    friendly    cup    of    tea,    an 

10 


exchange  of  pulpits,  courtesy  and  acquaintance  are 
beginnings  enough,  if  hitherto  they  have  been  lack- 
ing. The  spirit  of  grace  must  have  expression,  the 
spirit  of  Christ  must  win  its  place  in  human  hearts. 
Men  must  be  sweet-spirited,  affable,  approachable, 
at  least  tolerant.  He  who  deems  himself  alone  per- 
fect and  thinks  his  own  church  the  sole  possessor  of 
all  the  oracles  of  God  has  the  task  of  beginning  with 
himself,  to  bring  himself  into  harmony  with  the 
other  sons  of  God,  if  he  would  promote  good-will  and 
concord  amongst  the  disciples  of  Christ. 

3.  It  is  unwise  to  begin  with  an  elaborate  pro- 
gram, perchance  in  imitation  of  some  other  federa- 
tion which  has  outlined  an  ideal  plan.  One  thing, 
or  a  few  things,  in  which  all,  or  even  a  majority, 
can  agree,  is  better  than  a  multitude  of  things  how- 
ever perfect  ideally  they  may  be,  if  they  be  too 
numerous  for  unanimity  of  sentiment  and  concentra- 
tion of  purpose.  Too  many  enterprises,  although 
worthy  each  of  itself,  entail  too  many  committees, 
too  cumbersome  an  organization  and  frequently  too 
much  expense,  for  the  numbers  and  the  degree  of 
interest  involved.  Then  a  failure  follows  which 
could  have  been  foretold  by  a  wise  prophet,  and 
should  have  been  avoided  by  a  wise  leader. 

4.  It  is  not  right  to  trespass  upon  the  domain  of 
organizations  already  existing,  even  though  they  be 
}>artially  dormant  and  to  many  unsatisfactory.  It  is 
a  wise  rule  for  a  federation  never  to  do  what  some 
other  agency  is  doing,  or  will  do,  for  the  federation 
should  not  spring  into  life  for  the  sake  of  combating 
some  other  organization,  or  entering  into  competi- 
tion with  it.  Its  characteristic  function  is  to  co- 
ordinate, not  to  coerce,  not  to  suppress,  the  activities 
of  other  bodies.  It  must  be  larger  in  mind  and 
genius,  more  charitable  in  spirit  than  all  others. 
It  should  stimulate  activity,  prevent  conflict  and 
clashing  and  substitute  for  competition  co-operation. 

5.  One  cannot  say  too  plainly,  nor  too  often,  that 
the  chief  virtue  is  patience — Christian  patience. 
We  must  wait  for  the  slowest  person  in  the  pro- 
cession, if  we  are  to  maintain  unity  and  promote  the 
spirit    of    harmonious    co-operation.     What    gain    is 

11 


there  if  the  head  of  the  column  unites  with  the  head 
of  another  column,  and  there  be  a  break  midway  in 
the  line  of  march?  What  advantage  is  there  to  have 
the  leaders  of  four  groups  of  men  combine,  when 
the  followers  remain  in  their  four  camps,  and  the 
union  results  simply  in  the  creation  of  a  fifth  camp? 
What  profit  is  there  in  cutting  off  all  the  men  of 
vision  and  broad  charity  from  their  followers,  who 
need  their  sympathy,  their  oversight,  and  their  care? 
Is  federation  abroad  desirable  if  there  be  lack  of 
unison  at  home?  There  is  grave  danger  to-day  lest 
our  Federal  Council  be  an  organization  of  a  few 
without  the  intelligent  understanding  and  support 
of  the  great  denominations  behind  their  representa. 
tives.  There  is  danger  lest  in  our  state  federations 
there  be  a  few  men  of  each  denomination,  broad  and 
charitable  themselves,  who  have  broken  company  with 
their  own  fellows  and  associates.  There  is  danger, 
indeed,  lest  in  a  local  community  a  few  of  the  chosen 
spirits  find  fellowship  together  while  the  sum  total 
of  worshippers  and  adherents  upon  the  church  is  not 
increased.  We  must  be  patient;  we  must  move 
slowly;  we  must  bring  up  the  rear  and  gather  in  the 
stragglers.  It  is  no  disgrace,  if  one  denomination 
finds  itself  handicapped  with  laggards  more  than 
another.  Patience  must  persevere,  charity  should 
never    fail. 


12 


BW4145.A62 

Kinds  and  kindliness  of  co-operation 


Princeton  Theological  Setninary-Speer  Library 


;      1    1012  00052  2260 


Jl 


